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Leeds Live
Leeds Live
National
Ben Abbiss & Faye Preston

Far-right activists are at Leeds Black Lives Matter protest crowding around cenotaph

A huge crowd of far-right activists are at the Black Lives Matter protest in Leeds.

West Yorkshire Police have had to separate the crowd from the protesters in Millennium Square.

The group have gathered outside the cenotaph and even attacked our Leeds Live reporter, throwing beer over him and threatening to throw him down the stairs for taking photographs.

The crowd by the cenotaph - which is predominantly made up of white men - are waving the union flag. Many are drinking beer.

However, organiser Darren Swain claims the event is not political and more than 100 veterans are in attendance, but a handful of "football fans" have turned up uninvited and caused trouble.

Police have so far kept the two groups separate by blocking the main route from the cenotaph to Millennium Square.

One protester said: "There is a group of over 100 anti-BLM protesters (RACISTS) outside the Art Gallery in the town centre.

"They are also drinking heavily. Big police presence. Appalling stuff."

Follow live updates on the protests here

Our reporter needed a police escort to get away from the activists outside the cenotaph.

 

He said: "Just been hounded out after taking that last photo.

"As I took it I got soaked with beer from behind, three of them came up to me accusing me of being Antifa, when I showed them my journo ID they threatened to kick me down the stairs.

"Walked to police with around 20 coming after me chanting Antifa and scum. Then I was escorted out by police."

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